The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-11-24

this ere'S fur DIluy-he strctch out
his han en- guy me suthin'.'
WAS it the pin?' | inquired.
"Twa'n't nuthin' else. stranger
the mountaineer retorted, with grim.
contemptuous smile. .'W'en | KEN to
look he'd put the buzzom pin in my
han. Every day he'd watch me KEN
in from shootin pa't'idges. en- Ak NE
fnst, 'Hev you bought hit? Seemed
like he'd sot heart on me sellin' his
buzzom pin en- buyin' that ar land. l
hedn't the heart to dissap'int him. 50 l
said, I've done bought hit. Cun'el.
Fur Dildy, don't you fursit that--fur
Dildy,' he KEEP tellin' me-"
why did you not buy the land?' |
inquired. Il have no doubt it would
have been good purchase"
"Jes' SO. stranger. t'were fust rate
cattle ranch, but the Cun'el mus
been out Of his head to think a scrap
Of shiny glass would buy pip's wuth
Of anything" was the dry response.
as If the mountaineer pitied and
laughed at the hallucination. Il guy
it over to Dldy, en- she wouldn't sell
hit for nuthin' savin' q book-she's
pow'ful fond OF readin' sense the
preacher at the cross roads larnt her
how to read"
The man laughed low. dry laugh
and nodded toward the girl. Dildv
was surreptitiously reading an illus
trated paper resurrected from weeks
burial in the bottom of my game bag.
She laid it down and blushed hotly.
Il have been careful not to spoil it.
sir" she said. timidly. "Ithought you
wouldn I mind it if | looked at it."
"You shall have it and welcome"
The color deepened in the pretty
cheeks; the beautiful eyes glowed.
"Would you like to go to town?'
'Iwould rather stay here with plenty
of books
But you have books and every thing
else in town." l urged.
II have every thing here except
books" was the simple response, with
a satisfied. rnirthful smile.
smoked final pipe out under the
stars and thought of Dildy. Here is a
girl" reflected, '.with what would be
u small fortune for her. longing for
books as an unattainable treasure"
Chaotic plans and suggestions shot
through my mind, with Dildy as
central figure-pretty. blushing. unso-
phisticated Dildy-contented Dildy. A
strange reluctance held me silent. l
waited until morning to shat:er the
novel happiness Of content. Dawn was
reddening the misty crests of the noun
tain ridges when | stepped out into the
fresh morning air.
"Mawnin'. stranger politely greeted
Craddeck. Dildy glanced round from
the over-hanging launches Of an old
brindle COW. and smiled without STOP
ping her milking Stranger, jest you
look over to t'other ridge. That's the
Piney ridge. an thurs the track nv
Ian the Cum el wanted me to buy wild a
bit er shiny glass
l followed Craddeck's index finger
with my eye.
Hits that blackish-lookin' yeth this
side that passel Nv pines"
Viewed from my standpoint. the
place looked brushy, ragged and bar
rem.
"Whg did the Colonel especially
want that land for Dildy?' Inquired. l
"Dunno es kin tell you. savin' hits
cheaper than lower down; but hits five
hundred dollars-en no good a-wishin'
fur hit--dunno but 'twould be a pow
full bother havin' SO much Ian savin'
fur stock
If you had the money you could no
doubt purchase better land nearer to
you?" / suggested.
Thurs sight Nv Ian. but hit costs
double, en- l guv the Cun'el my say 50.
to git that fur Dildy-on'v the Cun'el
wur sick en- thought bit Nv glass mout
tex somebody's eye" and Joe Grad
deck tore off quid of tobacco from a
huge twist in his pocket and slowly put
it in his mouth-that same grim amuse-
ment in his keen, clear eyes.
Evidently the mountaineer regarded
this legacy to Dildy hak in kindly pity.
half in jest.
s.The Colonel knew better than any
one else about that gen." l began wa
rily. "That shiny bit of glass is worth
more than enough to buy ten such
tracts"
Naturally, the ''Cun' els belief in the
value Of the pin having been SO long a
matter Of scorn, | found it difficult to
convince Craddeck of the truth. His
skepticism was pervaded by 3 very
plain doubt Of my sanity.
Hits turribul Gurus. stranger. en-
you hain't sick nuther." he averred,
with profound conviction.
Dildy's dark. soft eyes seemed te
catch the first rstconvincing sparkle of the
diamond as l explained and pointed on,
the difference between gem Of frs
quality and ''bit of glass;
Father. you 60 with the strange
gentleman to town; the stranger know.
. Diamond was Dildy's low spoken
but decisive assurance.
''True 'nutf. Dildy; but. wife, hahn
thur some writin' of the Gun ell in that
ar grand overcoat NV his'n? Wife. put
hit away till somebody kem fur 'em.
The overcoat was brought out and
unwrapped. In the side pocket found
few lines, hastily written
This coat is for Joseph Craddeck
my diamond pin for his child Dildy.
am glad to die nameless and unknown
This was the strange pathetic will Of
the luckless refugee remembered solel,
as '.the Cun'el." Not trace of his
identity had been left behind him.
The mountaineer looked down at the
bare track of brush land at the base O
} the ridge.
That's mon my hard old head xii
Il -